At present, there is proposed a system which verifies alteration of image data generated by an image sensing apparatus such as a digital camera (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,294 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-244924).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-78142 (reference 1) discloses an image sensing apparatus having a function of embedding verification data (data necessary to determine whether an image file has been altered: called “feature data” in reference 1) in a sensed image file, and an apparatus which inhibits any change of the contents of an image file when verification data is embedded in the image file.
However, reference 1 does not consider any arrangement which prevents the image sensing apparatus from changing the contents of an image file (with verification data) in accordance with an instruction from an external control apparatus.